ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250043
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
A 16-year-old boy was convicted Wednesday for his role in an attack on a woman who was carjacked at a traffic light, abducted and beaten.
Edward L. Gates pleaded no contest to a charge of unlawful wounding. Under a plea agreement reached in Roanoke Circuit Court, Gates will remain incarcerated until Sept. 10.
Lisa Martin testified that she was at Salem Turnpike and Melrose Avenue about 3 a.m. last Aug. 25, on her way to an all-night restaurant for breakfast, when Gates and two other strangers approached her car.
One of the men held a gun to her head while the other two climbed into the back seat, Martin testified. As the men told her to drive around town, "they were talking about raping me," Martin said.
They eventually told her to stop on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest. After forcing her from the car, Martin said, the assailants kicked and beat her before driving off.
Gates, who was 15 at the time of the offense but was tried as an adult, had contested the charges in a jury trial that began Tuesday. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Alice Ekirch said the plea agreement was reached Wednesday morning as the trial entered a second day.
Under the agreement, carjacking and abduction charges against Gates were dropped and a malicious wounding charge was reduced to unlawful wounding.
Defense attorney Robert Szathmary had argued that his client was innocent - saying it was a case of mistaken identity - but said Gates agreed to the plea agreement because of the risks of litigation. Gates has been incarcerated since shortly after the incident.
Danyell A. Crump, 19, already has been convicted in the case. He was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of carjacking and unlawful wounding. No charges have been filed involving the third suspect.
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